The invention relates to apparatus for use in instruction, and more particularly relates to apparatus for use in a lecture environment in which a lecturer delivers instruction to a plurality of students. In its most immediate sense, the invention relates to apparatus for use in a lecture hall in which a lecturer delivers a lecture to a group of students, in which visual information is displayed to the students during the lecture, and in which the performance of the students is conveyed to the lecturer in real time.
A lecture class such as is given at a medical school may contain students of widely varying abilities and backgrounds. Some students may grasp the subject matter immediately, while others may consistently have difficulty understanding the concepts being taught. This range of abilities and backgrounds can pose a problem for the lecturer, especially in a large class. This is because it is difficult for the lecturer to ascertain how well the class is absorbing the subject matter of the lecture. While the lecturer may (by e.g. close examination of a particular student's behavior and demeanor) be able to guess whether that student is following the lecture, it is much more difficult for the lecturer to assess whether the class as a whole is doing so. As a result, it is difficult for the lecturer to pace the lecture appropriately. If the lecturer proceeds too rapidly, many or even most of the students will be unable to follow the lecture; if the lecturer proceeds too slowly, most of the students will be bored and the lecture will last too long.
Additionally, there are times when understanding of a particular concept is essential to proceeding further in a course of study. At such times, a lecturer needs to know whether the class as a whole understands this concept. And, even if the lecturer believes that the class is having difficulty understanding that concept, in a conventional lecture class the only options available to the lecturer are to repeat and rephrase what has been said before and to re-display visual information that was displayed already.